


pas de charte

by smithens



Category: Les Misérables - Victor Hugo
Genre: Arguing, Canon Era, M/M, Morning After, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-20
Updated: 2019-04-20
Packaged: 2020-01-20 14:52:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18527305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smithens/pseuds/smithens
Summary: "Ah! And war in Greece is more peaceful a notion than your nation's constitution."Combeferre raised his eyebrows as if to say, 'oh, you mean the constitution to which you set fire yesterday'.





	pas de charte

"I direct your attention to articles 16, 22 and 23."

Combeferre lowered the a recent edition of the Précurseur to his stack of papers upon the table (containing also the latest of the Moniteur, the Journal des débats, and the Globe) and began to stir another lump of sugar into his coffee. 

"Good day," he said dryly.

Courfeyrac took a chair from the little table, turned it around, and sat in it backwards before taking a piece of bread from Combeferre's plate.

"Let us imagine momentarily that the existence of such a document is not already a crime in and of itself: a placation in place of a revolution."

"How fanciful of us!"

"Now, it is a disservice to compare the work of Dambray to that of Saint-Just; thus I shall not do so at length. However. In any constitutional document it is imperative that either a procedure for amendment be established or..."

At the mention of Saint-Just Combeferre looked momentarily serious; this passed, however, and once more he took up his paper. "Oh, look," he said after a few minutes, "the editor has decided to share his opinion on the conversations regarding English interference in the Greek Uprising, I am sure it will be very original and subversive."

"...perhaps its supporters will say that a document writ in the divine will of God need not be — have you not been listening to me at all?"

"I have been trying to breakfast in peace."

"Ah! And war in Greece is more peaceful a notion than your nation's constitution."

Combeferre raised his eyebrows as if to say, 'oh, you mean the constitution to which you set fire yesterday'; Courfeyrac shrugged and finally poured himself some coffee. 

"You ought appreciate my presence more, now that you are not graced with it so often."

"Ought I? In fact I find myself highly appreciative that you have installed yet another homeless law student as your next-door neighbor and taken to leading him around as a duck on a string, such that now I need only encounter you when I've planned for it in advance."

"He is rather a duck, isn't he."

When Combeferre dropped the paper this time, he did so without the intention of picking it up again. For a moment, he was silent, then he replaced his reading spectacles with his daily ones and took his pocket watch in hand.

"If he is not going to say his rites anytime soon I do not desire to waste my time with him."

"Oh, for pity's sake! rites this, vows that; imagine if Enjolras had said that of you at first. Is it worse to be a Monarchist or a Bonapartist?"

"Depends upon the sort of monarchism in question. An emperor is merely a monarch out of bounds. Did he not?"

"Constitutional — if Enjolras could give up on a man so easily we should have lost sight of Grantaire ages ago."

Combeferre grumbled something which was either very unkind to Grantaire or very generous to Enjolras. He then stood and made to take another piece of bread, only to realise the last of it was in Courfeyrac's mouth.

"Go dress," suggested Courfeyrac, after he had swallowed. "In the meantime I shall refine my claims and premises, or perhaps come up with something to debate upon wherein you sincerely disagree with me."

**Author's Note:**

> title yanked from the referenced brick passage. could also be read as a new ballet step.


End file.
